Paper-file



J. M. D. FRAN-GE.

No. 374,46*?. Patented Deo. 6, 1887.

Aro

UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MASON DUNCAN FRANCE, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

PAPER-FlLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,467, dated December 6, 1887.

Application filed May 7, 1887. Serial No. 237,477. (No model.) l

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN MAsoN DUNCAN FRANCE, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bill-Files, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of a bill-file constructed according to my invention.

The invention consists in certain features of construction and novel combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

The plate @,which may be termed the main7 or base plate, is provided with a card-receiver, H, countersunk at h, to receive an index ofthe contents ofthe file.. This plate also has a hand-hold, G, having a handle, F, which opens to an extent not exceeding twenty degrees and serves to facilitate the handling of the les, which handle, when not in use, seats in a recess flush with the face of plate O., A section of this handle F is round, so that when the file is placed upon the face of plate C the handle will, by virtue of the weight of the iile, assume its proper place in its own recess or pocket.

The slide board or plate D has slots at d for the passage of the raclcarms A, and has the locking-bar B, pivotally connected at e centrally with it. This pivot is preferably effected through the medium of a plate, E, countersunk in the slide D, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1. At its ends the bar B has bent portions,forming hooksb, which tit around or engage the rackarms in such manner as to firmly secure the slide board or plate D, as will be seen in Fig. l.

The rackfbars A, it will be seen, form a part of'a frame which extends through slots c c in the main plate, the frame being fastened on the outer side of plate G by rivets z e. By the said construction the frame is held in place and the file is strengthened, and, by reason of the arrangement of the racks A in from the side edges of the plates C D, the insertion of the files in the reversal of same from cases is rendered easier.

The bars Ahave teeth a, the upper sides,a,of which are practically beveled or inclined for the purpose of engaging with and releasing the locking-bar in the operation of the invention. These bevels or iucliues are preferably secured by curving the upper sides of the teeth, as shown in both figures of the drawings.

In use the papers to be retained are placed on the main plate and the sliding plate is pressed down on the papers and the lockingbar turned into engagement with the appropriate teeth of the arms A. By reason ofthe elasticity of the papers between plates C and D and the hooks b of bar B, the tiled papers will be held securely and in such manner as to be protected from the effects of dust. ITo release the papers in the file, it is only necessary to the said arms will be held from spreading,

and the file will at all times retain its normal width. The metal rackarms, being arranged in from the edges of plates B and C, will not come in cont-act with and abrade or otherwise damage the metal cases in which the files are kept, and the desks, books, or other ob jects upon which the files may be placed. The bar B, with its curved ends b, when in the ratchets c, will serve as a lock, and in case a file with the papers in, place should fall on the fioor the bar B will not be moved from the ratchets in which they are inserted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A billiile comprising a base or main plate, the ratchet-arms secured to said main plate, and a slide-plate having slots d for the passage of said arms, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a bill-tile,of the base or main plate, the ratchet-arms secured thereto and having Vtheir 1ack-teeth provided with beveled upper surfaces, as described, the slideplate, and thelockingbar, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the base-plate, the slide-plate, and the rack-arms, of the 1ock ing-bar provided at its ends with hooks Z2 b, substantially as set forth.

IOO

4. The combination of the base-pate, the zZ for the passage of the rack-arms, and the slide-plate having slots d, the rack-arms selooking-bar', substantially as and foi1 the pureured to the base-plate and extended through poses specified.

Slots d, and the looking-bar having hooks I) b, Intestirnony Whereof have hereunto Set my 5 substantially as set forth. hand in the presence of two subscribing Wit- I 5 5. The combination of the base or mein messes.

plate having slots 0 e, the metal frame ex-l i JOHN MASON DUNCAN FRANCE. tended through slots c c and having a portion Witnessesz secured at@ z to the base-plate and provided J. P. SCHNEIDER,

Io with ratehebarms, the slide-plate having slots HENRY SCHULER. 

